Apr 14 2008
Billabong announced the winners of the annual Billabong XXL competition on Sunday (link). Shane Dorian won ride of the year for his heaving tube at Teahupoo on November 1st. Manoa Drollet won Monster Tube Award for an equally crazy wave on the same day.
Mike Parson took the Biggest Wave with a 70 ft + wave at Cortes Bank. Greg Long won Biggest Paddle-In wave with a bomb at Todos Santos.
Apr 10 2008
Bra Boys, surfing documentary about Koby Abberton and the surfing gang from Maroubra, opens tomorrow in select theaters in the U.S. (link) Russel Crowe narrates the film that focuses on true story of the Abberton brothers (Sunny, Koby, Jai, and Dakota) being charged with murder and accessory to murder. The charges threaten to put away Jai and Koby away in prison. It looks good and got nominated for a bunch of film awards I’ve never heard of. It scored a very respectable 83% on rottentomatoes.com. Russel Crowe will also be directing a movie by Universal and Imagine based on the story. Here’s a clip of them charging Ours–hell wave in Sydney.
[youtube dFKAzlNcC3o]
Apr 09 2008
Winter 2007-2008 was good, and big. We saw a few big swells on the West Coast and some consistent surf in between. Some were calling the December 4, 2007 swell at Mavericks and Ghost Trees some of the biggest surf there ever (link). Meanwhile, a team of tow surfers including Mike Parson and Brad Gerlach hit Cortes Bank to score huge surf there (link). Both swells created some epic rides and Billabong XXL contenders.
[youtube imArpSkBPDE]
Apr 09 2008
Kelly Slater has already won a record 8 world titles, and now he’s got a good start for a ninth. He’s already won the first two events of the year at Superbank on the Gold Coast and at Bells Beach. At 35 years old, he looks as good as anyone on the tour. It doesn’t seem like there’s anything that can slow him down. Here’s a link to the Foster’s ASP rankings and upcoming contests, and a clip of Kelly in form at big Bells Beach in 2008.
[youtube 2d4eU17WzeY]
Apr 04 2008
El Salvador is an up and coming surf destination with great surf for all levels, uncrowded waves, and excellent exposure to Southern swell. It’s one of the cheapest surf destinations and is a short flight from the U.S. Ravaged by civil war and violence through the 80s and 90s, until recently El Salvador was considered an unsafe place to travel. In the past 10 years, surfers have gradually started returning to El Salvador and finding epic waves and empty line-ups. Surfing has grown among Salvadorians, and the best breaks do see crowds. However, El Salvador still has a lot to offers with long pointbreaks, friendly locals, and a relaxed surf scene.
